An active damper for an aircraft landing gear is one type of load-controlled suspension element for a vehicle active crash protection system. The landing gear absorbs some or all of the impact energy in an aircraft event such as a hard landing or a crash. A controller controls a damper valve to vary a damping coefficient of the active damper and the corresponding damper loads. Vehicle sensors are continuously monitored by the active crash protection system, and the damper valve is adjusted to maintain a target damper load for the associated landing gear of the aircraft. The target landing gear damper loads are based on aircraft gross weight and severity of the hard landing or crash event.
An active seat energy absorber for an aircraft seat is another type of load-controlled suspension element for a vehicle active crash protection system. The seat energy absorber absorbs some or all of the impact energy imparted to the aircraft seat and limits the loads experienced by occupants during an aircraft event such as a hard landing or a crash. A controller controls an actuator that is coupled to the seat energy absorber. The actuator is controlled to adjust the seat energy absorber load based on weight of an occupant in the aircraft seat, available seat stroke, and severity of the hard landing or crash event.
The above damper and seat energy absorber are only example applications of load-controlled suspension elements of vehicle active crash protection systems. Other applications of load-controlled suspension elements are possible for other types of vehicle active crash protection systems. It would be desirable to provide load-controlled suspension elements that are suitable for a wide range of applications in different types of vehicle active crash protection systems.